4 August 2013 Cordoba to Priego de Cordoba

95km today….I always seem to end up doing more than the map says… Maybe I’m like walking around the cafes and bars with the GPS and not realising I’m adding miles… Or maybe it’s all the wrong turns. Anyway…3897km so far.
I’m tempted to cycle a bit more tomorrow just to get over the 4000km mark.

I left Córdoba quite late at around 10.00 and the sun was already up. So although it was a short day, I was fighting the heat all day. I passed Enejo after nearly 40km of flat and undulating roads. All the views were hills covered with olive trees and towns or little cities perched on hilltops. Castro del Rio was set on little streams and a river which made me believe I might be lucky today with fountains and clean fresh water. I wasn’t disappointed.

It wasn’t as hot as previous days but I was learning about the sun and pacing myself. After 12 I started stopping regularly in the shade, and drinking and eating. Whenever there was a petrol station I used the bathroom to soak my cap in water. And along the way I found fountains to fill up bottles to pour on my head to stop me overheating.
The views were amazing but I also came across some big hills as I got closer to Priego.
I stopped at a place called Estacion de Luque. It was a disused train station that had been turned into a restaurant/bar. It would have been lovely if there weren’t so many flies. Sorry for the pun but they really bugged me. After a bocadillo (sandwich) a coke, an Aquarius and an ice cream, I left feeling fresh but a guy there warned me that it would be a very steep climb to get to Priego.
He was right but they didn’t seem so bad. Then there was a 12% climb. I poured water over my head halfway up. It was hot as it had been on the back of the bike in the sun. At least I had worked out how I would get a warm shower in Africa 🙂

I caught a glimpse of Priego in the distance. A walled city of white houses. Beautiful. I found a Hostal, the Posada Real, in the tiny white flower-clad Moorish streets that are only wide enough for pedestrians. And Paola and I looked around the town. Romantic, pretty and very very relaxing. My mum would love it here.